Draft-releasing device.



P. JENSEN. DRAFT RELEASINGYDEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 7. I916.

Patented May 22, 1917.v

IIW/A'I'W MW PETER JENSEN, 0F COLTON, OREGON.

DRAFT-RELEASING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 191"1.

Application filed September 7, 1916. Serial No. 118,876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PETER JENSEN, a citi-.

zen of the United States, residing at Golton, in the county of Clackamas and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft'Releasing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to improvements in draft releasing devices designed primarily to afford a separable connection intermediate a vehicle, implement or similar device and its draft instrumentalities whereby to prevent breakage of either upon the application of too great stress. I am quite well aware that devices of this character have been proposed heretofore but it is to be understood that in the present invention the object is to provide an article which may readily be adapted to the particular work being performed, or in other words one capable of being adjusted so as to control the degree of stress which the connection will withstand before separation of the cooperating parts will take place. For example, in plowing, particularly in stumpy or rocky soil, it is not unusual that the implement in meeting with an obstruction is broken and any releasing means of the type comprehended by this invention must be susceptible of rema-ining'inoperative under normal conditions of draft stress which is -very great in operations of this character yet readily separable when the obstruction causes sudden overdraft. On the other hand, normal draft stress in drayage work is much less under ordinary conditions than when plowing and it is to accommodate for these variable conditions or operations that the present device is provided.

For a full understanding of the present invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the application of my invention to the draft connections of a plow.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line 38 of Fig. 2.

Fig. i is a perspective view of the releasing member alone.

Throughout the following detail descrip tion and on the several figures 0f the drawing, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, and specifically describing the device it will be noted from Fig. 1 that it is designed-to be interposed between, for example, the plow beam A and the draw bar B, as indicated at C. In construction, the device consists of a casing or frame 1 which is preferably of tapering form so as to provide a restricted opening 2 at one end and a relatively larger opening at its opposite end. The casing 1 is provided with spaced rearwardly projecting apertured ears 3 through which the connecting bolt 4: is introduced in attaching the releasing device to an implement or vehicle, as the case may be.

Into the casing or frame 1 the releasing member 5 is normally disposed, this member consisting of a substantially V-shaped compressible or yieldable member 5 formedby bending a resilient piece of metal into this configuration. It will be noted that the V-shaped member 5 substantially conforms to the interior of the casing 1 and the smaller or bent end of the releasing mem ber projects a short distance from the restricted opening 2 of the casing so as to enable the connection of this member with the draft bar B, by means of the usual coupling 6.

It will be apparent that the stress which is applicable to this connection depends upon the resistance offered by the member 5 against compression and withdrawal from the casing 1. This yieldable resistance is such as to prevent the separation of the parts under normal draft conditions and to further increase the resistance I preferably providea curved fiat spring 7 attached to each end of the member 5 and extending inwardly of the casing 1 into contacting relation. When the draft stress is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the member 5 and springs 7 the releasing member will be drawn from the casing and the object of the invention will be accomplished.

As hereinbefore premised, this releasing action is subject to adjustment so that the device may be used in different operations or under conditions where the separating point varies. For this purpose I attach to each side wall of the casing 1 interior-1y by means of a screw 8 or the like, a flat plate 9 Whichextends to a point adjacent to the restricted opening 2. Extending through each side Wall is an adjusting nut 10 which upon movement inwardly will press its cooperating plate inwardly and thus correspondingly restrict the size of the passage through the casing, and offer proportionately more resistance to the withdrawal of the releasing member 5 therefrom. A Wide range of adjustment is thus provided and the operator may quickly adjust the device to accord with the work in connection with which it is to be used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A draft releasing device comprising a casing, an expansive releasing member disposed in said casing and projecting slightly therefrom, said member being frictionally engaged to prevent displacement from the casing under normal conditions, and adjustable means intermediate a wall of the casing and said releasing member for controlling the frictional engagement aforesaid and thereby the extent of stress required to displace the releasing member from said casing.

2. A draft releasing device comprising a casing tapering toward one end, a resilient releasing member therein bent intermediate its length to substantially conform to the taper of the casing, the side portions of the member contacting with the walls of the easing substantially throughout their length,

said member being adapted for withdrawal from the casing upon application of stress overcoming the expansive force of the releasing member, and means to control said contacting engagement.

3. A draft releasing device comprising a hollow relatively stationary member, the inner walls of which converge toward one end, and a releasing member normally arranged therein subject to withdrawal upon application of a predetermined amount of draft stress and consisting of a V-shaped fiat spring the free ends of which are arranged in the stationary member and adapted for compression toward each other to permit of release from the constricted opening of the stationary member. 7

l. A draft releasing device comprislng a caslng having a relatively large opening at one end and a relatively small opening at the other end, and a compressible releasing member adapted to be introduced through the large opening aforesaid and bent intermediate its length, the bent portion lying at the smaller of said openings, and means intermediate the ends of the member tending to prevent compression thereof and withdrawal from the casing incident to such compression.

5. A draft releasing device comprising a casing having a relatively large opening at one end and a relatively small opening at the other end,- a compressible releasing member adapted to be introduced through the large opening aforesaid and bent" interme diate its length, the bent portion lying at the smaller of said openings, and a spring arranged intermediate the ends of the member tending to hold the ends against withdrawal from the casing through the smaller of the openings.

6. A draft releasing device comprising a casing having a relatively large opening at one end and a relatively small opening at the other end, a compressible releasing member adapted to be introduced through the large opening aforesaid and bent intermediate its length, the bent portion lying at the smaller of said openings, and a flat spring secured to each end of the releasing member, said springs lying in contiguous relation to each other for normally holding the releasing member expanded against withdrawal from the casing through the smaller of said openings.

7 A draft releasing device comprising a frame or casin ada ted for connection to a device to be drawn, a releasing member arranged in said frame and adapted for connection to the draft means for the drawn device, said member being of expansive material to normally prevent displacement from the frame, and means extending into the frame to regulate the expansion of the releasing member for controlling the stress applicable to said releasing member before separation of the same from the casing incident to the draft thereon.

8. A draft releasing device comprising a casing having a passage therethrough, a releasing member adapted to be introduced into said passage into frictional engagement with the walls thereof, and means adjustable to increase or decrease frictional resistance of said member to prevent displacement of the releasing member from said passage under normal conditions of stress applicable to said releasing member.

9. A draft releasing device comprising a casing having a passage therethrough, a releasing member adapted to be introduced into said passage, and means to constrict the passage atone end to more or less pre Vent displacement of the releasing member from the passage.

10. A draft releasing device comprising a casing having a passage therethrough, a releasing member adapted to be introduced into said passage, a yieldable plate connected to the casing at one side thereof and cooperating with the releasing member to pre vent displacement thereof from the casing under normal conditions of stress applicable to said member, and means for adjusting the plate to increase or decrease the pressure against the releasing member and more or less prevent displacement of the latter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PETER JENSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

